How to Remove an Asphalt Driveway Stain

Remove asphalt driveway stains with basic supplies.

Vehicles and lawn tools can leak fluids, such as oil and grease, onto an asphalt driveway. Driveway stains leave an unpleasant first impression on guests and mar a home's aesthetic appeal. Oil and grease stains eventually soften and erode an asphalt driveway. Promptly remove stains to preserve the driveway's appearance and allow the asphalt to last longer. Stains become more challenging to remove the longer they remain on asphalt, but specific techniques can remove the stains effectively.

Things You'll Need

• Clay cat litter
• Broom
• Dustpan
• 2 tbsp. liquid dish detergent
• Clean plastic bucket
• Nylon scrub brush
• Garden hose
• Paper towels
• Sand or cornstarch (optional)
• Commercial asphalt driveway cleaner

Instructions

1. Sprinkle clay cat litter directly onto the oil or grease stain. Cover the entire stain completely with cat litter. Allow the stain to absorb the cat litter overnight.

2. Sweep up the oily cat litter from the driveway using a broom and dustpan.

3. Squirt two tbsp. of liquid dish detergent directly onto the remaining stain.

4. Fill a clean plastic bucket with one gallon of warm water. Dampen a nylon scrub brush in the water.

5. Scrub the affected asphalt with the damp brush to work the detergent into the stain. Frequently rinse the brush in the bucket of water to prevent reapplying oil or grease to the asphalt.

6. Continue scrubbing the driveway until the stain is completely removed. Periodically refill the plastic bucket with fresh warm water.

7. Rinse the asphalt with water from a garden hose. Immediately blot up the runoff with paper towels to prevent harming nearby vegetation.

8. Dispose of the oil-soaked paper towels according to your local waste management's instructions. Do not dispose of oil-soaked paper towels in the trash.

Tips & Warnings

• You can substitute sand or cornstarch for the cat litter.

• Remove extremely stubborn stains with a commercial asphalt driveway cleaner. Apply the cleaner according to the manufacturer's directions.

• Solvents can erode asphalt driveways.

• Wire brushes can permanently scratch asphalt driveways.

• Oil-soaked paper towels can combust and catch fire.

References

• Ask The Builder: Oil Spills on Pavement
• Home Addition Plus: Removing Oil Stains from Asphalt Driveways
• "Good Housekeeping": How to Remove Car Oil Stains from a Driveway